Science Fiction

Author
Discussion

OldandGrumpy

2,681 posts

241 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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I don't like the fantasy Moorcock so much. The Cornelius Quartet explores the implications of the many worlds version of quantum physics and is also far better written than the fantasy books. Yes its not conventional hard SF, but its a very entertaining read.

Edited by OldandGrumpy on Wednesday 2nd December 14:09

Warmfuzzies

3,975 posts

253 months

Thursday 3rd December 2015
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Thanks for the recommendations on here, just finished Carl Sagan contact, found that good, with a great ending. Patrick Tilley and fade out was good if a little heavy at first, but the ending infuriated me a tad, now on consider phleabus, haven't read so much in ages so thanks for the tips.

K

jmorgan

36,010 posts

284 months

Thursday 3rd December 2015
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Just started "Altered Carbon" by Richard K. Morgan. Not bad so far, few chapters in. Your digital self is downloaded into spare bodies type story. No more plot clues.

Tried to start "Blue Remembered Earth" Alastair Reynolds, started OK but think I need to be in the right mood.

Another Alastair Reynolds, Terminal World. Very good but the ending left me wanting more.

Tonsko

6,299 posts

215 months

Thursday 17th December 2015
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I was aware of goodreads.com and sometimes looked on there for reviews of books etc. It is only today that I realised that it is actualy quite good - put in books that you like, can follow authors, mark stuff as want to read and once reviewed a few books, it offers up new selections.

Clearly it's probably always done that, but I never noticed. boxedin

This thread has been great though, got me back into reading a lot more again. So thanks everybody smile

Edited by Tonsko on Thursday 17th December 11:21

QuantumTokoloshi

4,162 posts

217 months

Sunday 20th December 2015
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jmorgan said:
Just started "Altered Carbon" by Richard K. Morgan. Not bad so far, few chapters in. Your digital self is downloaded into spare bodies type story. No more plot clues.

Tried to start "Blue Remembered Earth" Alastair Reynolds, started OK but think I need to be in the right mood.

Another Alastair Reynolds, Terminal World. Very good but the ending left me wanting more.
I enjoyed Altered Carbon, good read, I do enjoy Cyberpunk. I just started Diamond Age, different genre but so far, so good. I might dig out some of the other Takeshi Kovacs books by Stephenson.

I have also just finished Cryptomicon, Nicely weaved historical facts and technology together, but is certainly a marathon rather than a sprint book.




Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Sunday 20th December 17:20

Tonsko

6,299 posts

215 months

Sunday 20th December 2015
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His Baroque cycle is pretty good too.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

254 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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Tonsko said:
His Baroque cycle is pretty good too.
Tried a few times can't get into it.

Just finished rereading Done Neal Asher, what next...

jmorgan

36,010 posts

284 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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Finished "Altered Carbon", felt cheated, well, expecting a bit more, by the ending but overall not bad, started the next book in the series but just jumped in on Jack Cambell "Lost fleet" series, on the third book now. Interesting little series of books,

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

254 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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Tried the first lost fleet, it was ok but a very fast read and not enough to make me spend on the rest of the series right away

jmorgan

36,010 posts

284 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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I use Audible for audio books and when my monthly credit is up for use I need to get something (the itch to get another story in). The lost Fleet filled a gap and on the whole they kill the hours when I am driving, something I do a lot of and they are a pleasant enough read for that, I am liking them. They are tad pricy though as a stand alone on Audible but with the credit system, £7 a month, they are OK.

Much as when I was stuck for choice a year or so ago I tried Ark Royal by Christopher G Nuttal. That is also a series, but I found the writing style off and a bit not right and the plot only just kept me going, it was a toss of a coin to drop it or not. Won't be revisiting that book to be honest (I tend to re listen a lot).


Mannginger

9,055 posts

257 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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jmorgan said:
Much as when I was stuck for choice a year or so ago I tried Ark Royal by Christopher G Nuttal. That is also a series, but I found the writing style off and a bit not right and the plot only just kept me going, it was a toss of a coin to drop it or not. Won't be revisiting that book to be honest (I tend to re listen a lot).
Oh god the narrator for Ark Royal was utterly awful. I couldn't get through 3 chapters on Audible. Ended up buying on Kindle as was interested enough in the story to get to the end (Wasn't that great but have the sequel gathering virtual dust in case I find myself out of other books at some point!)

Audio-books have been a real find for me but now and again as in this instance the actor will ruin it.

Currently listening to Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds. Enjoyed the books but am finding myself getting a lot more from the audio-books (Evidently I'm an aural learner or something)

jmorgan

36,010 posts

284 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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Revelation space is superb, follow the order of the books.

I have few more by the author, as mentioned above somewhere Terminal World is an interesting departure from what he has written.


Edit. The narrator can make or break it. The ones that seem to have a few different narrators can really make me want to smash the virtual book onto a virtual fire.

Edited by jmorgan on Monday 21st December 08:26

DibblyDobbler

11,271 posts

197 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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RobDickinson said:
Tonsko said:
His Baroque cycle is pretty good too.
Tried a few times can't get into it.

Just finished rereading Done Neal Asher, what next...
Same here - couldn't get into it (loved Cryptonomicon though)

Have you read much Dan Simmons - eg Olympos/Illium or Hyperion?

Tonsko

6,299 posts

215 months

Monday 21st December 2015
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DibblyDobbler said:
Same here - couldn't get into it (loved Cryptonomicon though)

Have you read much Dan Simmons - eg Olympos/Illium or Hyperion?
Perversely, I couldn't get into Hyperion, but loved the Baroque Cycle.

RizzoTheRat

25,133 posts

192 months

Sunday 27th December 2015
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Just finished The Martian, absolutely loved it. Looks like the author had done a lot of research to try and keep the science as realistic as possible. Need to watch the film now.


Started Star Ship Troopers, so far it makes a lot more sense than the film did in terms of technology/equipment, ie powered exoskeletons and shoulder launched tactical nuclear weapons rather than rubbish armour and conventional rifles in an era of interplanetary space travel.

ETA: Finished Starship Troopers last night, it kind of ends suddenly but I really enjoyed it. Someone should make a film of it.

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Monday 4th January 15:29

QuantumTokoloshi

4,162 posts

217 months

Thursday 31st December 2015
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Took a while to get into Diamond age, but the further I got into the book, the more I enjoyed it, will need to get the rest of the series.

Just starting Childhood's end, so far so good, the book seems to have aged well quite well.

The_Doc

4,881 posts

220 months

Monday 4th January 2016
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QuantumTokoloshi said:
Took a while to get into Diamond age, but the further I got into the book, the more I enjoyed it, will need to get the rest of the series.

Just starting Childhood's end, so far so good, the book seems to have aged well quite well.
One of my mates offered me his SF library as he was downsizing houses, 744 books, and I'm working through the Hugo and Nebula award winners in chronological order.

Childhood's End right now, and you're right, even though it was written over 50 years ago it is so fresh. Just goes to show how much of a genius Arthur C Clarke was. Rendezvous with Rama also so crisp and brilliant.

744 books should keep me going for a while.

Tonsko

6,299 posts

215 months

Wednesday 6th January 2016
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SyFy has started The Expanse TV show. First 3 eps are a bit slow, bit it picks up at #4 apparently. Only available in US atm.

Guvernator

13,143 posts

165 months

Wednesday 6th January 2016
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Tonsko said:
SyFy has started The Expanse TV show. First 3 eps are a bit slow, bit it picks up at #4 apparently. Only available in US atm.
Tried watching a couple of episodes but it didn't really grab me tbh. A friend who has read the books says they are much better so I may give those a try when I have the time.

Tonsko

6,299 posts

215 months

Wednesday 6th January 2016
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The books are very good indeed. TIL James Corey is a penname for two people.